Last Modified: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 9:58 a.m.

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“We’re going to stand for the acknowledgement of God,” Moore said in claiming victory.

Moore, a former chief justice, faced Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance Jr., the Democratic candidate.

With all but one of the state’s precincts unofficially counted, Moore leads Vance 1,042,852 votes to 967,046 votes, or 52 percent to 48 percent.

It was the first statewide race for Vance.

Vance entered the race after the Democratic Party withdrew the nomination from Pelham lawyer Harry Lyon for criticizing the party and posting anti-homosexual rants on a social media page.

Moore, 65, served as chief justice from 2001 to 2003, but was removed from office by a judicial panel after he defied a federal judge’s order to remove a Ten Commandments monument he had placed in public view in the state Judicial Building, earning him the label of “the Ten Commandments judge.”

Vance last week was endorsed by 10 former Democrat and Republican Supreme Court justices, while Moore countered with a few judicial endorsements of his own.

Vance’s endorsees said Moore was a poor court administrator who fought with legislative budget writers and even sued the governor and finance director over funding. Moore called Vance a supporter of President Barack Obama.

Moore won the GOP primary in March against incumbent Chief Justice Charles Malone and former Attorney General Charles Graddick.

Voters perhaps dismayed with Moore’s administration of the court system in his term as chief justice turned to the 51-year-old Vance as an alternative.

Just two-and-a-half hours after the polls closed, Vance narrowly led Moore largely on votes from largest urban counties.

Moore watched results in downtown Montgomery with supporters who tapped toes to the Kempsters, a family bluegrass-country-gospel band that played renditions of “God Bless America,” “The Star-Bangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.”

Among those at Moore’s election watch were former Supreme Court Justice Terry Butts and former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr., R-Montgomery.

Vance was in Homewood watching vote results.

Moore will succeed Malone in January. Malone was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley after Democratic Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb resigned.

Moore twice ran for governor, but failed to win his GOP primary.

Vance said he was satisfied with Malone and did not enter the primary because he believed Malone would win the GOP nomination against Moore and former Attorney General Charles Graddick.

A heavy evangelical turnout for Republican Rick Santorum in the March presidential preference primary gave Moore the nomination without a runoff.

Vance reported raising more than $1.1 million through Monday and Moore reported raising $383,529 since the March primary.

Moore ran against Obama as much as his opponent and even labeled Vance an Obama crony for contributing to his campaign. Vance’s wife, Joyce Vance, was appointed by Obama as U.S. Attorney in Birmingham.

The chief justice not only is the state’s top jurist, but also is administrator of the state court system.

Moore, from Gallant in Etowah County, was a circuit court judge when he was sued for posting a copy of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.

After being elected chief justice, Moore was sued for his Ten Commandments monument in the Judicial Building. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled against him, and Moore lost his office for defying that ruling.

During the waning days of the campaign, former Democratic and Republican Supreme Court justices endorsed Vance, saying Moore was a catastrophe as a court administrator.

Moore was appointed an Etowah County circuit judge in 1992 and was elected in 1994. Moore said if elected, he wouldn’t reinstall the Ten Commandments monument in the Judicial Building.

Vance is the son of former U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Robert Vance, who was assassinated in 1989. The elder Vance was killed when he opened a package bomb in his home.

<p>MONTGOMERY — Republican Roy Moore was elected Tuesday night in the race for Alabama chief justice.</p><p>“We're going to stand for the acknowledgement of God,” Moore said in claiming victory.</p><p>Moore, a former chief justice, faced Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance Jr., the Democratic candidate.</p><p>With all but one of the state's precincts unofficially counted, Moore leads Vance 1,042,852 votes to 967,046 votes, or 52 percent to 48 percent.</p><p>It was the first statewide race for Vance.</p><p>Vance entered the race after the Democratic Party withdrew the nomination from Pelham lawyer Harry Lyon for criticizing the party and posting anti-homosexual rants on a social media page.</p><p>Moore, 65, served as chief justice from 2001 to 2003, but was removed from office by a judicial panel after he defied a federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument he had placed in public view in the state Judicial Building, earning him the label of “the Ten Commandments judge.”</p><p>Vance last week was endorsed by 10 former Democrat and Republican Supreme Court justices, while Moore countered with a few judicial endorsements of his own.</p><p>Vance's endorsees said Moore was a poor court administrator who fought with legislative budget writers and even sued the governor and finance director over funding. Moore called Vance a supporter of President Barack Obama.</p><p>Moore won the GOP primary in March against incumbent Chief Justice Charles Malone and former Attorney General Charles Graddick.</p><p>Voters perhaps dismayed with Moore's administration of the court system in his term as chief justice turned to the 51-year-old Vance as an alternative.</p><p>Just two-and-a-half hours after the polls closed, Vance narrowly led Moore largely on votes from largest urban counties.</p><p>Moore watched results in downtown Montgomery with supporters who tapped toes to the Kempsters, a family bluegrass-country-gospel band that played renditions of “God Bless America,” “The Star-Bangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.”</p><p>Among those at Moore's election watch were former Supreme Court Justice Terry Butts and former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr., R-Montgomery.</p><p>Vance was in Homewood watching vote results.</p><p>Moore will succeed Malone in January. Malone was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley after Democratic Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb resigned.</p><p>Moore twice ran for governor, but failed to win his GOP primary.</p><p>Vance said he was satisfied with Malone and did not enter the primary because he believed Malone would win the GOP nomination against Moore and former Attorney General Charles Graddick.</p><p>A heavy evangelical turnout for Republican Rick Santorum in the March presidential preference primary gave Moore the nomination without a runoff.</p><p>Vance reported raising more than $1.1 million through Monday and Moore reported raising $383,529 since the March primary.</p><p>Moore ran against Obama as much as his opponent and even labeled Vance an Obama crony for contributing to his campaign. Vance's wife, Joyce Vance, was appointed by Obama as U.S. Attorney in Birmingham.</p><p>The chief justice not only is the state's top jurist, but also is administrator of the state court system.</p><p>Moore, from Gallant in Etowah County, was a circuit court judge when he was sued for posting a copy of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.</p><p>After being elected chief justice, Moore was sued for his Ten Commandments monument in the Judicial Building. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled against him, and Moore lost his office for defying that ruling.</p><p>During the waning days of the campaign, former Democratic and Republican Supreme Court justices endorsed Vance, saying Moore was a catastrophe as a court administrator.</p><p>Moore was appointed an Etowah County circuit judge in 1992 and was elected in 1994. Moore said if elected, he wouldn't reinstall the Ten Commandments monument in the Judicial Building.</p><p>Vance is the son of former U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Robert Vance, who was assassinated in 1989. The elder Vance was killed when he opened a package bomb in his home.</p>